Effect of moisture content on ammonia emissions from broiler litter: A laboratory study

Abstract

A dynamic flow-through chamber system was designed to measure ammonia emissions from broiler litter and to investigate the responses of ammonia emissions to litter moisture content under laboratory-controlled conditions. It was observed that ammonia emissions from litter were very sensitive to litter moisture content. As water was added to the litter, the total ammoniac nitrogen content (TAN) in the litter increased, and can potentially increase ammonia emissions. However, measurements of ammonia concentrations in the chamber and total nitrogen losses from litter samples all suggested that water applied to the litter also had an effect of suppressing ammonia emissions for a short time. After enough time (1 to 2 weeks) was allowed, higher moisture content in litter eventually resulted in higher ammonia emissions. It was also noticed that, at very high litter moisture content, even when more time was allowed, ammonia concentrations began to decrease as moisture content further increased.

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Acknowledgement

The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance of Mr. James Parsons, area extension specialist in the Department of Poultry Science at NC State University, who generously provided the litter samples from commercial broiler farms.